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Sunday, July 13, 2014

Being poor today

Many people in today's society assume that if someone is poor, that it's their own fault. They assume that there's some agency or organization out there who will help that person out. If you've fallen on hard times, and post about it publicly, you'll get 2 dozen suggestions of things you can do; most of which you've already probably tried.

Those who know what you're talking about, and give you the support and sympathy you are seeking, they are usually poor too; which is why they understand where you're at. Thing is, they can't help you out because they're needing help themselves. And they're the very people who would help you out, if only they had the money.

Those who are well enough off the help you out, those are the people who are the least likely to help. Every once in a while, you will run across someone who will help; but it's been my experience that they are the exception, and not the rule.

All those charitable organizations that are supposed to help poor people out, I've never been able to get any help from them. It makes me wonder just who they do help out, and what they do with all that money they take in.

And when you're poor, getting ahead, bettering yourself is next to impossible; because if you're not careful, you'll lose what little help you are getting. So just how are you supposed to dig yourself out of that hand-to-mouth hole that you find yourself in?

That's a good question. If anyone has figured out the solution, I'd love to know. Most 'solutions' that people will offer up at this point - they are either some kind of stupid scam, or something you've already tried and it didn't work. People today just don't seem to grasp that the thing to help a poor person out is just plain old cold hard cash. And that's the thing no one really wants to give.

As for getting help, only someone who has been down on their luck understands all the hoops one has to jump through in the process of trying to get help. Doesn't matter whether it's a government agency of some kind or a charitable organization, they want you to prove that you're poor enough to deserve their help.

Do you have any idea how that feels? I mean, it's depressing enough that you're down on your luck. Then you have someone who's supposed to be there to help you out, rub your nose in it. Then you jump through all their hoops, and either the help you get isn't much, or . . . . worst of all . . . . they decide that you're not poor enough to merit their giving you any help.

What's even worse is when you do manage to get some help from another agency, then you have to inform agency b that you're now also getting help from agency a, thus agency b will either reduce the help they're giving you, or cut their help out entirely. That happens folks!

So if you're not poor, not in a financial hole, thank your lucky stars. And scrape away your miserliness enough to help some poor sod out.

If you are poor, are in a financial hole, you have my sympathies. Let's just wish each other luck.
-- jd --